The Gypsy and Her King
by Jennifer Perkins
Summary: A first shot at a Clopin romance fanfiction. please read and review!
1. Prologue

**Publisher's note;  
My sister made this; ****NOT ME. i just have the profile to put it on. The Author would also like to add that she does not own any of the characters mentioned here; except for the obvious original ones. I'm so proud of her, she's written the start of what I'm sure is going to be a great fanfic. **

**I ****Hope you all enjoy; and some reviews would be appreciated!**

Prologue;

"Little girl

"Little girl?" _what? What's going on? Everything's black. Ahh my aching head…_

"Little girl, are you hurt?" _of course I'm hurt! My head feels like someone dropped a brick on it. _My eyes felt heavier than ever right now, and not being able to see so easily made me feel uneasy. But..._ I never remember feeling so tired…_  
"Little girl! Wake up and get out of the streets—Judge Frollo approaches!" I hear footsteps tapping away on the cobblestone roads as I open my eyes and see gypsies walking every which way I can see. I can hear a faint, yet recognizable sound through the ground; the sound of a horse trotting on the road, carrying behind it an old yet sturdy black carriage. I propped myself up on my elbows, feeling strength return to me as a strange type of terror sink in. I hoist myself up on my shaking, yet stable enough legs and walk to the side of the path, away from the road. There, horse carriage and all, came a man of unsightly age guiding the horse through the road I was lying on.

"Gypsies..." the man muttered. It would seem he was not very well rehearsed in the form of subtlety. "Despicable, foul creatures..." _why is he saying this? I see gypsies everywhere, and yet none of them will stand up for themselves? Who is this man, to have such great control over everyone he passes?_ I look down upon myself to notice I was wearing the clothes of a gypsy. I felt my hands ball into fists and start to shake as the man who resembled a fossil continued to mutter profanities about the people who I apparently lived among. I steadied myself before pulling up my sleeves. I took a few steps through the crowd and stood in front of the man's horse, hating it. "little girl, no!" I heard a voice whisper. "I'm not a little girl; I'm sixteen and a half." I replied to the voice through gritted teeth.

I had never noticed how large the horse I halted was until I stood in front of it. Stupid on my behalf, yes, but this Lord of the Wrinkles needs to be taught a lesson in manners, whoever he is. "You up there! Get down here!" His dry lips showed signs of cracking as they pulled down into a scowl. "What do you want, gypsy girl? You have no business with me nor do you deserve it." I growled at that last part. _Who is he to say what I do and don't deserve? What manner of foolishness is he playing at to think he's any better than I? _I thought as I bared my teeth at him in pure rage.

"Why are you saying such things about these people? They have done nothing to you yet you choose to be so dishonorable to us." I was yelling at him by now. "We have every right to say and do what we wish to do so long as we live in this city!" It looked big enough to be a city from where I stood, so if I need correcting, someone will surely do so eventually.

"calm down, you filthy little mongrel--"

"I don't want to hear another word of that! I'm not filthy, I'm not little, and I am most certainly am not a mongrel of any type, unlike you, who seems best suited to living with the ones buried deep underground in the flaming pits of hell!" I spat at him, leaving a little glob of spit on his cheek. It surprised even me to know I was already beside him, spitting at him in disgust. _Since when did I have such anger problems? Normally I'm a lot nicer than this... what is it about him that boils my blood so?_ I don't _think_ it's possible for anyone to keep a straight face when dealing with a man like this. _Honestly, where does he find his pleasure in being such a disrespecting man? He thinks he's so great, acting so high and mighty. I'll teach him a lesson._ "And just to let you know, if it wasn't for the fact that you looked half dead already I would have taken a club to your head the moment I laid eyes on you!" I wasn't being very honest there, but hey, alls fair in love and war... this is just without the love. I heard many _oohs_ and _aahs_ from the crowd already formed around the old man and me.

"What is your name, girl?" the man hissed as he pulled out his long silver sword, which seemed to gleam in the sun's rays of bright white.

"…" what _is_ my name? I never thought that would be such a hard question to answer, although I haven't exactly been thinking from when I woke up a few minutes ago.

"Speak, woman!" he moved his sword towards my neck; the tip barely grazing my throat as I gulped. "Or forever hold your peace." I glared wildly at him, and he smirked. He pulled his hand back, and swung the sword at me. I jumped back by some fast reflex I would have to thank god for later, and back flipped, landing sternly next to the horse I now recognized to be a black stallion. It was a shame to see such a lovely creature being made to cart around a man too lazy to walk. I stared back up at him, only to see he had already stepped down onto the road. His look remained composed but I could see the anger in his eyes; beads of sweat skimming down his pale old forehead and down his cheeks, under his neck. Only then did I realize the crowd had gotten too close to us both for me to be able to make a fast escape anywhere. I looked to my left and right nervously as the panic started to seep into me.

My breathing became light and I inhaled small breaths of air quickly as I saw he had both his hands on the hilt of his sword, aiming it in my direction. His nostrils flared and I started shaking, knowing I was too scared to do anything.

"A girl who dares make a fool of me is nothing more than a dead gypsy walking!" he spat as he charged towards me. I couldn't move. I was too frightened. I heard the silver blade swoop down towards me as he attacked. I gasped and closed my eyes as I awaited the blow to my torso.

I waited, and waited, but nothing had happened. I counted to ten and calmed down a little and felt as if I were flying, all though I had somehow curled up without noticing. I felt oddly warm and safe. Wherever I was, I didn't want to leave. This had to be heaven; I didn't even need to open my eyes to figure that out. I sighed with relief that I had felt no pain when I was struck. A small smile teased at my lips as I whispered the words: "I'm in heaven" and giggled a little in a way I never thought I could, then, from right next to my ear I heard a beautiful voice with a pleasant chuckling sound.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say heaven, mademoiselle, but I can assure you you're in the arms of a gypsy just as good."

My eyes flung open and I looked up. I was being carried. And carried by a stranger, nonetheless. I froze. _What did I just say to this masked stranger?!_ No time like the present to find out while I was trying to move under his firm, but gentle grip, and failing miserably. I stuttered a few times, and he didn't seem to mind as he kept a steady walking pace somewhere away from the crowd I saw only moments ago. Then, after about four tries at speaking and ending up looking like a fish in a water tank with him laughing lightly at my every try, I managed to ask. "Who _are_ you?"

His once smiling face turned hard; his lips tightening into a small thin line. I knew I must have said something to upset him, because I swear he was laughing a second ago. I was about to apologize but he smiled at me first and calmly said "I am Clopin Trouillefou. Although we only met a few moments ago in one of the strangest ways I can imagine..." he put me down, holding me to make sure I could stand upright by myself before he continued. He took his hat off, holding it in front of his chest and bowed to me. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, my fair lady."


	2. Chapter 1

"

"..." _Clopin Trouillefou_. I thought. _What a beautiful name. What a beautiful smile. What a beautiful body... and his legs are so long and sleek, yet managed to carry me all the way here._ By his bone structure (from what I can see, at least) he was built for things such as acrobatics, not weightlifting. _How is it possible for such a perfect man to exist?_ I thought to myself as I continued to examine him in silence. My eyes went down to his ankles before I was suddenly interrupted by his voice.

"I never thought I'd get a look quite like that from a girl as beautiful as you, but I guess I've been proven wrong. Would you like a picture?" I realized I'd been looking at him for well over two minutes, and I blushed. He smiled patted my head ever so gently, I wouldn't have noticed if not for seeing him do so.

"Sorry. I just..." Before I could come up with a believable excuse, he spoke again.

"No need to be sorry, I'm actually rather flattered. But just to make it fair... turn around for me, would you?" his expression was unreadable, and I wasn't focused enough to think straight, so I did as he asked, and spun around in my place.

"Like this?" I asked as I stopped, looking up to him with a questioning look on my face.  
"No, no, more slowly." He saw the look of confusion in my eyes and added, "Please."

"Ok…" This was odd. What was he trying to do in making me spin? Nevertheless I made a slow twirl on the spot. When I stopped to look at him I noticed he had a hand placed neatly under his chin with the other on his hip, looking town at my physique. Again, I couldn't read his expression, and thought I had done it too slow. I began to turn again before my arm was yanked back, puling me off balance. I closed my eyes, knowing I would soon hit the ground. _The pain will be over in a minute the pain will be over in a minute the pai-  
_"something the matter?" I opened my eyes to see his face no more than an inch away from mine and my face turned bright red. I screamed and pushed away from him as fast as I could, my heart pounding like an enraged man would a drum. He held me in his arms, stopping my fall. Still, I only figured that out after screaming directly at him and backing away.  
"No" I breathed. "No, nothing's wrong. You just surprised me a little."

"a little?" his lips pulled up into a curl at either end. It was clear he was trying not to laugh at my reaction, and undoubtedly the look on my face as he spoke.

"...shut up." I pouted and looked away. It was embarrassing enough for him to see me looking at him before, but now I did something so stupid as to scream at him from surprise. _This isn't like me... so why am I being so stupid near him?_ Once again, he interrupted my thoughts, but this time in a way I had never expected from him. He hugged me from behind, when I wasn't looking at him.

"My apologies; I was only having a little fun. Tell you what, to make up for it I'll take you back to the Court of Miracles and I'll buy you dinner. Sound fair?" he gently uttered into my ears with his smooth, hypnotic voice.

"Hardly." I muttered, but he seemed to hear me just fine. _Taking me out to dinner is way too much for a silly little joke like that. It wouldn't be right to take his money from him like that. After all, I've only just met the man._

"Oh?" his eyes seemed to brighten as he spoke, and I was almost afraid of what he'd say next. "Then I'll let you sleep in my bed tonight. Sound any better now?" by now his grin was so wide he reminded me of a fox after a successful hunt. I was next to speechless at the thought of sleeping in a nice warm bed in comparison to a road. I cleared my throat and sorted my words carefully in my mind so as not to make any further misunderstandings.

"no, I meant it wasn't fair because dinner is too much a price for a simple joke like that. Although sleeping in your bed does sound rather tempting I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline your offer."

He smiled.

"Wait-no! That last part didn't come out right."

"It didn't?" he turned me around so I could see just how big his smile was. I needed to explain myself, quickly, before he gets too close for me not to be able to think straight again.

"What I meant to say was I like the thought of sleeping with you—no! Sleeping in a bed—I like the thought of sleeping in a bed but--" his smile seemed to widen with every word I said whilst my cheeks began to burn.

"Great! So now you're staying with me for the night. Don't worry; I won't sleep in _my_ bed if you don't _want_ me to. I'll just sleep on the _cold, hard ground_ and break my back if anyone accidentally steps on me in the night. It's ok, you jut go ahead and enjoy yourself at my expense." _DAMN that man can act!_

"I never said you couldn't have the bed to yoursel-"

"Brilliant! Then it's settled. We'll be sleeping together tonight and I'll treat you to dinner beforehand." His smile never once faded. _What a smart bastard... _I can't believe he can manipulate thing to bend to his whim so easily. Safe to say I'm a sucker for men who can use their actions and words to their advantage or gain instead of using fists and brute force. I definitely am curious about where he lives, and I am quite hungry... perhaps I might just have to bear with the deal and face the rest when I get there.

"Clopin! Clopin!" A group of women shout his name as we walk into the main room of the 'Court of Miracles' as it had been named. I looked around to distract myself from Clopin fraternizing with the ladies and noticed a few little things around the place that put me on edge. For one, there were gallows on the far side of the place I was in, but it was close enough to see the ropes tied into nooses. Another odd thing I noticed was when Clopin and I were walking through the entrance of the Court of Miracles, the skeletons were moving... and they followed us in silence until we reached the open area where the other gypsies were walking about.

Last but most certainly not least, some of the people here are holding weapons. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad thing to hold a weapon if you only hold it for a defense, but who would need to defend themselves here? Maybe it's just me, but I find it rather off putting to see small knives hanging out the pockets of others as they so casually walk the streets underground.

"Clopin," I whispered "could we go somewhere else?" I didn't like the looks some of the girls were giving me, and the looks I got from some of the men walking past were worse. It's unnerving to get so many stares at once, and I didn't like it. He gave me a small smile, waved off the group of women who seemed to be attached to him by magnets, gently placed his arm around my shoulder and guided me through the crowd.

"So, where would you like to eat tonight, mademoiselle?" he confidently spoke aloud as if we were the only two walking the crowded street filled to the brim with noisy families and merchants. "There's a little café down the street to our left, although that's more of a thing for brunch. Perhaps we could go to the little restaurant down on the corner? I hear they make good pasta." His smile was unwavering, so I nodded and we walked to the little restaurant at the corner of the street.

A waiter by the name of Brice came to the table we were seated at. He gave us menus, but Clopin gave them back almost instantly and asked for some white wine and two bowls of _Creamy French Onion and Chicken_ pastas. I wondered why he was ordering for the both of us, but when I tasted the just cooked pasta when it came to our table I knew. It was absolutely delicious, and the white wine was a beautiful compliment to it.

I don't know how long we had been at the restaurant for, but when we left, the streets of the Court of Miracles were nearly empty. It was dark and I was getting cold. Clopin seemed to notice my skin as I got goose bumps and told me to stay put as he went into another shop a few meters away. After a few minutes he came back to my side and gave me a poncho.

"Clopin, no. I don't want this."

"But you need it; you're cold."

"But you've given me enough already I-"

"I insist. Please, take it." he smiled and draped it over my shoulders. I grumbled a little then cocooned myself inside the warmth of the poncho. We walked to his abode and he showed me around.

"...and here's the bedroom." He opened the door and let me through so I could see what it looked like. It's pretty blank, as most of the rooms are. He, unlike most other gypsies, actually had enough money to own more than one room.

"I suppose it's about time to go to sleep, huh." I asked.

"it seems to be getting to that time of the night, yes, but if you're still awake enough we could play a board game or something mind numbing like that." He grinned, and I couldn't help but laugh a little.

"if you want. I'm not too fussed" I _was_ getting a little sleepy, but playing a board game didn't sound _that_ bad... well, it did sound bad. In fact, it sounded boring enough to put me to sleep faster than actually laying in the bed.

"hmm..." he looked at me as if examining me, which I soon found out he _was._ "you don't look fussed, but that's because you're sleepy, are you not?"

"stop that."

"stop what?"

"being a smartass." He chuckled a little and I smiled gingerly at myself. He seemed to notice it (because somehow he knows whenever I do something I never had expected him to see) and showed his pale white teeth in a beautiful smile only he could possess.

"yes, well I like being a 'smartass' as you call me. It's quite fun and I don't ever plan on stopping so you'll just have to cope with sleeping with a gypsy who so happens to have brains." That was it. I started laughing, and couldn't stop. I laughed so much I swayed on the spot and started feeling light headed. When I stopped I realized my face was a little pinker than normal and it turned a darker shade of red when I saw him looking at me and grinning. He was watching me. Great.

"I think it's about time we went to bed, wouldn't you agree?"

"yeah, I guess so." I think it's best to lie down before I do anything stupid.

"ok" and then we both walked into his bedroom. He almost jumped into his bed, whilst I crawled under the covers. A man through and through, he kept his hands away from me even after I turned away from him. I could tell I was about to drift into a deep sleep, but before I did I hear him whisper to me...

"Goodnight, Cosette." _Goodnight, Clopin, whoever you are..._


End file.
